Seoul, Named a UNESCO City of Design Designation Expected to Upgrade the City's Brand

SEOUL, South Korea, July 28, 2010 - Seoul was appointed a UNESCO City of Design as of July 20, 2010. The
designation is in appreciation of the city's abundant cultural heritage and
creative potentials as well as its strong pursuit of diverse design policies.
The U.N. agency also highly evaluated the city's potential to help developing
countries with its creative urban development programs, it said.

UNESCO launched the Creative Cities Network in 2004 to enhance the
social, economic and cultural development of cities in the world, promoting
their local creative scenes, and therefore, fulfilling the UNESCO's mission
towards cultural diversity. It appoints the network members in seven fields
– literature, film, music, crafts and folk art, design, media arts, and
gastronomy. Eight cities including Seoul have been selected as members in the
field of design. The others are Buenos Aires, Berlin, Montreal, Nagoya, Kobe,
Shenzhen and Shanghai.

Appointed to the network as a City of Design, Seoul will enjoy a variety
of benefits. It will be able to use a UNESCO logo in its programs and events,
based on the UNESCO regulations. The city will also participate in various
UNESCO activities to set up international networks and exchange information,
knowledge and experiences among member cities. In addition, Seoul will be
able to promote its design resources and cultural programs on the UNESCO
website.

Seoul, on the other hand, is expected to report its national and
international activities as a City of Design to the U.N. agency every year
and to maintain close relationship with the Korean National Commission for
UNESCO.

Mayor Oh Se-hoon said Seoul's appointment as a UNESCO City of Design
reflects the international recognition and supports for the city's
accumulated design policy. "I will try to make Seoul a substantial world city
of design by upgrading its international status through policy and programs
as a leading city of design, and cultivating the creative manpower and design
industry," he added.

The metropolitan government will sign an MOU with the Korean National
Commission for UNESCO during August this year on the joining of the UNESCO
Creative Cities Network and on the implementation of various cooperative
programs. It plans to host an international forum of the network this year.

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Seoul Metropolitan Government, +82-2-727-0024, seoulpress at gmail.com